History

The origins of Prestwich Heys A.F.C. can be traced back to February 9th, 1938 when a meeting was called at the Music Room of the Heys Road Boys School at which Elgar Lumsden put forward the idea of forming an Old Boys Association.

Attending that first meeting were messers Bridge, Stott, Foster, Taplin and Alan Proctor Bell, who was to become a central figure in the Club's history and whose progress he was to report on in the Prestwich Guide under the guise of 'Touchliner'.

Despite the onset of the Second World War a year later, the Association flourished under the Chairmanship of Bell, who also acted as Secretary of the football arm, known as Heys Old Boys AFC and was acknowledged as one of the region's best.

The team went on to win its first honours in 1943 in the Prestwich and Whitefield League with the Woodward Shield - a success which was repeated for the next three seasons.

The team gradually progressed through the Bury Amateur League and in to the South East Lancashire League claiming Championships in 1960, 1961 and 1964. Under the guidance of Peter Gilmour in the sixties, Heys won the prestigious Lancashire Amateur Cup in 1967 followed by the one and only Lancashire Combination Grand Slam in the 1970/71 season with Heys bringing all four trophies available back to Grimshaws. (left)

The club also changed its name in 1964 to Prestwich Heys AFC, an acknowledgement of the fame achieved by the club as they proved one of the nation’s top amateur clubs.

Thousands flocked to see Heys play, and beat, the likes of Sutton United, Ferryhill Athletic, Finchley and Highgate United in the FA Amateur Cup with the clubs best run taking Heys to the last 16. The victory over Sutton United in 1969 ranks as one of Heys most famous moments, attracting nationwide coverage, coming a week before their opponents were due to meet Leeds United in the FA Cup.

These were heady days but with the seventies came the onslaught of professionalism and the club struggled to maintain its winning ways. After claiming the Manchester Amateur Cup in 1972, the trophy cabinet remained bare as Heys negotiated the gradual restructuring of semi-professional football, moving from the Cheshire County League in to the newly formed North West Counties League in 1982.

Ground grading problems saw the club drop in to the Manchester Football League in 1986 but the club went on to gain its first trophy for over a decade when the First Division title was claimed in 1988.

1991 saw Heys relocate from their Grimshaws home on Heys Road for a new base at Sandgate Road, just over the border in Whitefield.

After relegation in 1996, the club bounced back with the Manchester League double of First Division Championship and Murray Shield built on the back of a record 19 league wins from the start of the season.

After finishing runners-up to champions Royton Town in the 2003/04 season, the 2004/05 season saw Heys finally take the major prize of their first Manchester League Premier Division title. They followed this up by retaining their crown the following season with a 2-0 victory in their penultimate game of the season at Hindsford.

In 2006/07, Heys made it a hat-trick of Premier Division titles and also lifted the Goldline Trophy after defeating Charnock Richard on penalties at the Reebok Stadium.

However, on the Eve of the 2007-08 season tragedy struck when Chairman and Manager Adie Moran died whilst on holiday in Sri Lanka at the age of 43. It stunned the football community and left Heys reeling.

Indeed, the following four years were marked by decline and successive relegation battles before, in 2011, Heys turned to former player Jon Lyons, who had played under Moran to resurrect their fortunes. Bottom of the table they collected 25 points from the last fifteen games to again stave off relegation.

Heys continued to make steady progress re-establishing themselves amongst the area’s leading clubs culminating in a glorious record breaking 2015-16 season.

At a club with an illustrious history the clubhouse at Adie Moran Park is adorned with the names and faces of legends of Heys past. However, the class of 2016 now proudly sit alongside those greats after delivering the most successful season in the club’s history.

A first team treble and Reserve team double brought five trophies to the club, capped by achieving the long-held dream of a return to the North West Counties League after a 30-year absence.

Heys won the Manchester League Premier Division by 13 points. More glory followed. The Bolton Hospital Cup was secured with a 1-0 at the Macron Stadium over Atherton Collieries.

Then, despite a weary performance, the League and Cup double was secured with a 1-0 win over Manchester Gregorians in the Gilgryst Cup Final.

It was an example of the resolve that ran though the squad throughout the season. For all the plaudits for their football, they scored 91 goals in the League, Heys had an underlying grit. They conceded only 29 goals in 30 league games and kept a club record for consecutive clean sheets when their goal was not breached in their last seven matches.

So, the 2016-17 season saw Heys take their place in the North West Counties League years. For a long time, it looked as if promotion was possible but a crippling fixture list and mounting injuries saw Jon Lyons side ultimately finish eighth.

2017-18 however saw the club win their first ever honour at semi-professional level as the LWC Drinks 1st Division Cup was won with a thrilling 2-1 win over Cammell Laird in the Final. A stunning 91st minute goal by John Main was to prove decisive.

This compensated for the main aim of promotion being narrowly missed. Heys came third in the table with 91 points and having finished top scorers with 124 goals. Defeat in the play off semi-final to Cammell Laird ended their hopes of making the step up. However, the season marked further forward progress, something Heys will look to build on in 2018-19.

Directions: M60 to junction 17 towards Whitefield, turn right into Clyde Avenue continue over traffic lights onto Thatch Leach Lane, turn right at the Frigate Public House, over motorway bridge, ground on the left.